fermented garlic

The humble garlic offers powerful health benefits including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral properties to combat colds and flu, and much more. Fermenting garlic adds healthy probiotics and offers even greater protective benefits. Making fermented garlic is really simple and here are five easy and delicious recipes for using your homemade, probiotic-rich garlic

Garlic – Delicious Medicine

Health benefits of garlic:

Stimulates the immune system
Anti-inflammatory
Thins mucous
Lowers cholesterol
Strong Antibacterial and Antiviral properties
Garlic has powerful anticancer properties

Garlic truly is a powerful super-food.

Fermented Foods – Health Benefits Go Beyond the Gut

What is fermentation? Fermented foods are foods that have been through a process where natural bacteria feed on the sugar and starch in the food creating lactic acid (lactofermentation). This process preserves the food, and creates beneficial enzymes, as well as adding probiotics.

Historically, diets worldwide were rich in fermented foods – a process that occurred naturally and was used as a method of preservation. Today, our foods are produced and shipped long distances, and sterilization methods are used to keep foods safe. Unfortunately, we now consume sterile foods and we are suffering the consequences of eliminating natural sources of probiotics from our diets.

Health Benefits of Fermented Foods:

improved digestion and nutrient absorption
increased nutrient synthesis (like vitamin K)
improving symptoms of depression
reducing inflammation
strengthening the immune system
preventing pathogens from colonizing the digestive tract
a protective role in metabolic diseases, including diabetes and obesity

Directions – Easy to Make Fermented Garlic

Ingredients/Equipment:
Garlic
Sea salt
Water (filtered)
Glass jar
Plastic Bag

Directions:

Peel your garlic cloves and place in a glass jar
Mix 1 Tablespoon sea salt to 1 cup of water. This forms the brine.
Make enough brine to cover the garlic. Use the plastic bag filled with the sea salt brine to weigh down the garlic so it remains beneath the brine.
Ferment 1-4 weeks then cap and refrigerate. It will continue to ferment in the refrigerator, but slowly. Can be used as food and medicine.

What are some ways to use this wonderful fermented garlic?

Using fermented garlic in recipes that don’t require heat which destroys the probiotics is the best way to take advantage of your fermented garlic.

Here are my favorite fermented garlic recipes:

Garlic Butter

1/2 c. butter, softened
2 – 3 cloves of fermented garlic, pressed
sea salt and pepper, to taste

Combine ingredients and enjoy!

Tomato, Basil, Mozzarella Salad with Fermented Garlic

Combine quartered tomatoes, basil leaves, chunks of mozzarella, olive oil, and garlic cloves. Great served on bread or whole grain crackers.

Garlic Salad Dressing

2 T. fresh squeezed lemon juice, or a good quality vinegar
1/3 c. olive oil
1/2 t. sea salt
1/2 t. oregano
1/2 t. basil
2 cloves fermented garlic, pressed

Combine and enjoy!

Hummus Recipe

Homemade hummus is so easy and so versatile. Here is a basic recipe, but you can get endlessly creative.

2 garlic cloves, mashed and roughly chopped
2 15-oz cans of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
2/3 cup of tahini
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of salt

Combine in a food processor and enjoy!

Easy Pumpkin Seed Cilantro Pesto
*See full post on Pumpkin Seed Pesto HERE

Ingredients

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
2 cups cilantro leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 clove minced fermented garlic

Instructions

Infuse the cumin and coriander in the olive oil on low/medium heat for about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and allow to cool, then add your minced garlic.
Add pumpkin seeds and cilantro leaves to blender or food processor and pulse a few times.
While blending the cilantro and pumpkin seeds, slowly add your olive oil, pausing to scrape down the sides.

Uses:
Serve on bread, pita chips, as a dip for vegetables, on grilled fish, on pasta, and mixed with cooked vegetables.